Well, new life experience for me. I took a job at a startup in the ed tech field around 3 years ago. Yesterday, I found out that that time was coming to an end. Around 25% of employees were laid off (300ish out of 1200ish) including me and my entire team.
They're venture-capital funded, and while I wasn't entirely surprised that layoffs were coming given some pretty rough financial headwinds this year, I wasn't at all expecting them to just cut my entire function. Kind of surreal.
I knew that startups were notoriously shaky when it comes to stability, and though it sucks to see it come to an end so abruptly, I suppose it's nice to have made a lot of money off of a bunch of investors. The severance package is, honestly, kind of crazy (4 months pay + 6 months paid health insurance + my laptop + free online classes + a plethora of job placement services). Thanks, VC funds!
In the end, I don't regret anything, but it's a very weird feeling to be out of a job for the first time since I was probably 14. It's hard to know what to do with myself, though I figure my "job" becomes job hunting...next week.
No need for sympathy - I'm actually kind of excited to look for something new. I'll at least have plenty of time to try and fail to fix my shit over the summer. :-) [Reply]
Originally Posted by Couch-Potato:
Sorry to hear it, Tech is the right space though!
You'll find another one soon! I prefer working a the smaller orgs and helping them build something, the payoff can be better than big orgs.
Good luck brotha!
Despite this experience, I'm definitely going to look at early- to mid-stage startups. My role (consumer insights, to oversimplify) probably won't exist in the earlier side, but being a one-man research shop kind of sounds fun. We'll see what I find. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
Despite this experience, I'm definitely going to look at early- to mid-stage startups. My role (consumer insights, to oversimplify) probably won't exist in the earlier side, but being a one-man research shop kind of sounds fun. We'll see what I find.
Consumer insights meaning trending or consumer spending/buying habits? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
You should also consider doing unpaid volunteer work.
For my company.
DaFace....watch out for these kind of offers. I have an unpaid "volunteer " positions since I retired...
I now work for the Ms. Mosbonian Fool and Die Company. Every morning my boss comes to me and says "here's your to do list to complete....act like a fool and you die."
Hang tough. Set up a day planner, pick stuff that needs doing - and check it every few hours to update/go start the next task. I'd sleep an extra hour or so but get up/get busy about the same time you'd be showing up at work. Consider your resume' updates, your daily applications to be your current job. Think pretty hard what you want to do - pick a winner and get after it. Make it a point to not fall into the 'get stoned or drunk and waste time' trap. I'd also devote half an hour a day or every other day into walking/kettlebell or dumb bell workout, more if you're alreay used to it. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
Despite this experience, I'm definitely going to look at early- to mid-stage startups. My role (consumer insights, to oversimplify) probably won't exist in the earlier side, but being a one-man research shop kind of sounds fun. We'll see what I find.
Consulting can be pretty lucrative work, not only in the private sector, but also with government contracts. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Fat Elvis:
Consulting can be pretty lucrative work, not only in the private sector, but also with government contracts.
I thought that outside consulting was really only profitable in the IT arena....boy was I an idiot.
I have been retired since April 1st...took on 2 consulting opportunities that took 8 work days total and made more for those 2 projects than I made working the last 2 months of my job that I retired from. [Reply]
